


Sine Qua Non

by YontifexMaximus



Category: XOXO Droplets (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, future relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 13:27:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13365678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YontifexMaximus/pseuds/YontifexMaximus
Summary: Do you trust me? Do you love me?





	Sine Qua Non

**Author's Note:**

> They couldn’t possibly have a healthy dynamic, could they? I've given this a mature rating because sexual themes are briefly discussed by the characters.

JB knocked on the bathroom door.

“Are you almost done in there? I needed to get something.”

“Oh! Come right in!” Shiloh called out to her.

She opened the door and saw him standing before the mirror, putting holding spray into his hair. He twirled each curl around his index finger for definition. First impressions were all about the details, he liked to say. JB wasn’t so sure about that, herself.

She gave the other details of the day a once over. Shiloh was wearing acceptable tan slacks, a pair of loafers, and...

“Uh, what the hell is that?” JB asked, pointing at his chest.

He looked down at his white seersucker jacket over a light blue shirt.

“It doesn’t look nice?”

“You look like a sixty-year-old man with a twenty-two-year-old wife.” She reached around him to grab her perfume bottle and spritzed her wrist. “Not to mention, how long ago was Labor Day, now?”

“You’re so funny.” He smiled. “We’re in California. It’s practically still summer.” JB rolled her eyes, dabbing the perfume onto her neck.

“Sure it is, babe. Don’t tell me you were going to wear that straw boater, too?”

“Should I not?” he asked, pausing from scrunching his curls.

JB started to laugh, then stopped abruptly, assuming a serious look on her face.

“No,” she said. Shiloh nodded firmly.

“Alright then! Anything else you want me to change?” he asked, chipper. He went back to checking his hair in the mirror. JB took a seat on the tub to wait for him.

“Ha. No. My parents will be fine with whatever you wear, honestly.”

“Really? That’s nice of them.” She thought she saw his eyes dart to her in the mirror for a fraction of a second, but it could have been her imagination.

“Yeah? Unlike me, you mean?” she asked with a smirk at his reflection.

“What? I- I didn’t mean it like that!” he said, whipping his head toward her. A flush of embarrassment crept onto his face.

“Yeah, of course you didn’t. You can have your little Shiloh-style jabs. They don’t really bother me.”

“But I really didn’t- You know I think you’re the best!”

“Yep. I really am. It’s sweet of you to remind me of that as much as you do.” JB reached for her pocket and, feeling only her leg under the cloth, remembered that this outfit didn’t have any. “Hey, what time is it?”

Shiloh looked at his phone on the sink.

“Quarter to.” JB clicked her tongue.

“Damn it. There’ll probably be traffic on the way there.” She stood. “We need to leave in five.” She turned on the spot, and then back. “Oh, and leave your outfit. There’s no time to change.”

“I knew you were just kidding about that, and I can be ready as soon as you need. Anything for you, JB!” he told her with a bright smile.

“That’s what I like to hear. Alright, I’ll be in the car.” She gave him a peck on the mouth and turned around to get her purse from the kitchen.

“I’ll see you in a few… I’ll see you in one minute!” he told her retreating figure.

Today, it would only be her parents. Her sisters’ schedules hadn’t lined up this time, but they had both Skyped with her and met Shiloh that way. He had been perfectly pleasant, of course, and seemed very excited to meet them.

She could hear Shiloh moving in the bedroom. He would be out soon. She left him to lock the door. She could trust him to do that much.

JB got in the car, stretched out in the driver’s seat, and turned on the engine. 

“ _Oo-oh, Here she comes! Watch out boy, she’ll chew you up!_ ”

The radio had been left on from last time and was on some satellite eighties channel. It sounded like _Maneater_ had just come on.

“ _Oo-oh, Here she comes! She’s a maneater!_ ”

She tapped her thumbs to the rhythm on the steering wheel. Damn eighties music. It was too catchy to change the channel now.

Shiloh tapped a few times on the passenger side window.

“It’s open,” she mouthed at him. He gave her an okay hand and opened the door.

“Hall and Oates?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You don’t like them?”

He was silent for a moment.

“They’re great!”

“Good answer, you’re still allowed to get in the car.” He chuckled and took a seat. She pulled out and started on her way. The café wasn’t too far.

“Are we still good on time?” he asked.

“Yeah, you were out in a flash. I hope I didn’t rush you.”

“No, you could never!” he assured her. “I don’t want to make us late to this. I want to make a good impression,” Shiloh told her, looking straight ahead and sounding a bit more serious than usual.

“Are you nervous?”

“Sort of, but they’re your parents. I’m sure they’ll be great. They raised you, after all! Really, I’m ecstatic!” JB looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

“Ecstatic, huh? Think you could turn it down by about 5%? I’m not sure how well they’ll respond to that level of enthusiasm. Unless, of course, you’re deliberately trying to put them off.” She didn’t know if she sounded more on edge or joking. She hoped it was the latter.

“I’m eager to meet them.”

“That’ll work.”

The cool, calm voice of the radio announcer came on.

“That was _Maneater_ , by Hall and Oates. You’ve been listening to our countdown of the chart toppers of the 1980s. Today is 1983. Next up is _Total Eclipse of the Heart_ , by the incomparable Bonnie Tyler.”

“What’s up with this? This guy sounds like he should be working for a jazz station.”

“He really does,” Shiloh agreed, as easily as always.

At least the traffic situation wasn’t as bad as she expected.

“ _Turn Around. Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by._ ”

“Have you seen any mail from Alicia lately?” JB asked. “She said she sent out a save the date, but I don’t think it’s arrived yet.”

“No, I don’t think so.” A beat. “Hey, did she mention anything about me? I never got an email about it.”

“I’m sure I’ll get a plus one. She probably just assumed that you would be my guest. She’s gotta be super busy.”

“Oh. I’m sure you’re right!” Shiloh agreed with a smile.

“ _And I need you now tonight! And I need you more than ever!_ ”

“Why do you ask? Do you think she’d deliberately not invite you?” JB asked. It was possible he did something to antagonize her in high school. Outside the usual. She was one of the people who found Shiloh particularly grating at the time.

“No way! We got along well, I thought! She’s your friend, after all.”

“Uh huh. I’m sure you didn’t try to make her dislike you or anything, but…”

“You’re right, I didn’t! I wouldn’t!” Shiloh looked stricken. “I want to be able to get along with your friends.”

“Sure, and I’m sure she feels the same way about you, okay? So I wouldn’t worry about whether or not she sent you an individual email to confirm that you needed an invitation. We live together. Both our names will be on it.”

“Yeah, I’m certain you’re right. You know her better than I do. I was getting ahead of myself.”

“Yep.”

“ _I don’t know what to do and I’m always in the dark_

“ _We’re living in a powder keg and giving of sparks_

“ _I really need you tonight_

“ _Forever’s gonna start tonight!_

“ _Forever’s gonna start tonight!_ ”

“ _Once upon a time I was falling in love, now I’m only falling apart!_ You know, this would be a great karaoke song. Have you talked to Bae recently?” JB asked. “We should all go out and do karaoke sometime.” She looked over to Shiloh. He stopped whistling.

“Oh, Bae? Yeah, I was texting him just the other day.”

“Did he mention whether he’d be in the area anytime soon?”

“He didn’t mention anything about it. I’m sorry.” He looked like a sad puppy at giving her disappointing news.

“Aw... Actually, wait. That gives me an idea. You know what would be great?”

“What? Tell me!” Shiloh’s eyes lit up, erasing all trace of emotion they were displaying before.

“Ha ha. Good enthusiasm. I mean, wouldn’t it be great if we could have a reunion for the old group?”

“The old group? Like Alicia and Missy and them?” JB raised her eyebrows.

“Come on. You already know who I mean. The Jerk Squad, obviously. The school group.”

“Oh!” He touched his chin. “Yeah, that really would be fun!” JB stopped at a red light and turned to look at him fully.

“‘Fun?’ What are you even saying right now? I know you’d hate it. You hate them!”

“Maybe I didn’t get along with them, but you did. I know seeing them would make you happy, JB. I want you to be happy.”

“Right. I’ll take that to mean that you’d come with me anyway because it’s what I want to do, and I’d probably break up with you otherwise.”

Shiloh laughed awkwardly.

“JB, you really love to tease me.”

“You like it, though,” she told him.

His eyes went slightly hazy for a moment.

“That’s right,” he said.

They were able to park close by. JB could see her parents at a table in the outdoor seating area, sipping brunch cocktails. She approached the hostess inside and followed her, as Shiloh followed behind them both.

Her mom was laughing and gesturing, her dad surely having had told some joke seconds prior. As JB and Shiloh came into view, her mom stood up and spread her arms.

“Oh, sweetheart! It’s so good to see you!” JB hugged her tightly.

“Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad! How’s the weather treating you?”

Her dad pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and exaggeratedly mopped his brow.

“Terrible! How do you stand all these dry, mild days!” JB rolled her eyes and hugged him, too.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m just adaptable,” she said with a secret smile. She pulled back. “This is Shiloh!”

He shook each of her parents’ hands.

“It’s so great to meet you finally, ma’am, sir!” he said in a tone a few degrees off ecstatic, “JB has told me so many good things about you.”

“You don’t need to be so polite,” her dad said affably. “We don’t bite! Have a seat, we should get a few drinks.” He looked at JB. “Your mom and I are having mimosas, there’s a brunch special.”

“Ooh, that sounds good.” Shiloh pulled out her seat for her. “Babe, could you read through the menu and give me the highlights? I’m going to take a look at the drinks.”

“Of course, JB, I’d be happy to!” Shiloh sat beside her and began to peruse the menu with an eye out for her favorite foods and flavors.

She noticed her parents’ eyes flick to each other briefly.

“Shiloh, did you want a drink? We have a second menu for them.” her mom asked, holding it out towards him.

“Oh, no, I’m alright. I’ll probably have water.”

“We’ll cover the check,” her mom said with understanding.

“It’s not that. He doesn’t drink,” JB told them. “And no, you won’t. Your guests in our city, you’re not paying.”

“ _Sweetheart_ ,” her mom began in a kind, but uncompromising, tone.

“ _Mom_ ,” she said in the exact same way. Her dad laughed behind his hand.

“So, how has your trip been so far?” Shiloh asked them.

“Great! We’ve been touring around LA where my brother lives. Near Pasadena,” her mom told him. Concern crossed over his face.

“Oh no. Aren’t there fires near there now?”

“They’re in the mountains, but far enough that he’s well outside the evacuation zone, thank god.”

“That’s a relief,” he said, releasing a breath.

The brunch was going well, all things considered. JB saw the occasional look of them realizing something less than pleasant in the midst of conversation, but that much was to be expected. Shiloh gave out that vibe. He had toned it down, as asked.

JB was startled from her thoughts from the feeling of Shiloh’s hand covering hers atop the table.

“I love your daughter very much,” Shiloh said in a voice that was convincingly full of adoration. “I feel so lucky every day that we’re together.” What were they talking about a second ago?

“I’m a catch, I admit it,” JB said, shaking her head. “It can be a heavy burden being as wonderful as I am.” Her parents had known her her whole life, and weren’t embarrassed by that type of declaration at this point.

The smile Shiloh gave her was as pleased as always. In her lap, she texted him.

_mind going to the bathroom or smth for a bit? I need to talk to them_

His phone vibrated and, apologizing to her parents, he checked it. Then, he gave her hand a squeeze and stood up.

“Excuse me for just a few minutes. I’ll be back soon,” he looked each of her parents in the eyes, “Sir. Ma’am.” He disappeared inside the restaurant. Her mom and dad watched him go. Then, they both took long sips of their drinks and resettled themselves to face JB. Her dad rapped his fingers agaisnt the table.

“He’s certainly very… attentive!” her mom finally said with as much positivity as she could manage. JB didn’t bother stifling the snicker that had been building up all morning.

“Pff!” She composed herself. “That he is.”

“I feel like he’s going to come back with a folder and try to sell me a used car,” her dad deadpanned. JB laughed from the belly.

“Ha ha! Ah, I’m pretty sure he won’t,” she assured him.

“What was the name of the company he worked for? New Life Media...?” her mom asked, trying to shift the conversation to something neutral and, unbeknownst to her, failing miserably.

“Oh, that. It’s an MLM.”

“A what?” her mom asked.

“A multi-level marketing company.”

Her parents looked at each other, horrified.

“Like a pyramid scheme?” her dad asked loudly. Her mom touched his arm and glanced around at the people who were looking over from other tables. “ _Like a pyramid scheme?_ ” he whispered-hissed.

“Not just ‘like.’ It _is_ a pyramid scheme,” JB replied in a normal voice and took a sip of her mimosa.

“He doesn’t,” her mom looked positively alarmed, “He doesn’t have you sell anything to your friends, does he?”

“No, he’s above sales,” she told them.

“Above sales,” her dad echoed. He looked both mystified and concerned.

“Yeah. He has a personality that lets him work easily in those kinds of settings,” she went on.

“And what kind of personality is that?!” her mom cried.

“Basically? Exactly what you’ve seen. That’s how he acts around people.”

Her mom’s brow was deeply furrowed. Her dad began to massage his temples.

“I don’t want to come across as rude, but I just can’t shake the feeling that he’s lying to us in some way,” he admitted.

“Ha, well, you still did, and that’s because he probably is. He’s just acting in a way that makes people, you two, in this case, like him. I doubt he’s fully meant a single thing he’s said today” or from the time she met him, although she left that part out. It was better that they had a decent idea of the situation and had faith in her to take care of herself rather than have to guess and be even more worried.

“But, darling,” her mom said carefully, “Don’t you worry that he might be doing that to you?” She didn’t let herself laugh this time.

“I know he does, but it doesn’t bother me. In a way, it actually kind of keeps things interesting.”

“Huh,” was all she had to say to that. Her mom whispered something to her dad and he whispered something back. She rested her cheek on her hand and watched them go back and forth with a half-smile. Her dad sighed and turned to her. He took a deep breath, and next to him, her mom nodded encouragingly.

“Well, you’re our daughter and we trust your judgement. I know if that if something you couldn’t handle came up, you wouldn’t hesitate to call us,” he said, giving her a meaningful look. He couldn’t remain that serious for long. “It’s just, this _is_ the sort of thing you’d find darkly amusing.” Her mom smacked his shoulder.

“We can come back soon, okay?” she said.

“Sure, I’d love to see you more often.” Light. Calm. Normal. As if her mom hadn’t just insinuated exactly what it seemed like she had.

“And if you want to come up to see us, please do. We can pick you up from the airport, even if it’s the middle of the-”

“Hello, I’m back!” Shiloh said in his usual cheery voice, announcing his presence.

Her mom coughed hard to mask what she had been saying. It didn’t matter. Shiloh had, in all likelihood, been there a while.

“Hey, babe,” she greeted. He slid into his seat and gave her a one-armed hug.

~~~~~~

“That certainly went better than it could have,” JB said, opening the passenger door. The nice thing about Shiloh’s sobriety was that she always had a designated driver when she went out with him.

“You don’t think it went well?” he asked.

“Are you kidding? I wanted to be honest and I was. You’re lucky that you weren’t completely grilled after what I told them.”

“Why, what did you tell them?” He pulled out of their parking spot and started on the way back.

“Really? You’re asking? You probably heard half of it, anyway.” JB pulled out her phone and checked her email. She hadn’t archived the last one from Alicia, and it sat just below the new ones.

“I didn’t. I was in the bathroom.”

“Yeah, okay.”

_What’s up JB?_

_We’ve nailed down a date, so we just wanted a casual yes/no before we send the official notices out. Who knew how expensive cardstock was? Anyway, it’ll be at the end of June. How’s that sound?_

_On a related note, you’re still with Shiloh Fields from SSB, right? How is he? No one else I talk to from there has heard from him since graduation. I figure he’s the same. You know what I mean._

_He’s a bite that’s a bit more than most people can chew, so I wanted to say that I hope everything’s going well. But hey, knowing you, it must be! You’re invincible._

_XOXO,  
Alicia_

“Is that the email from Alicia?” Shiloh asked.

“What? Oh. Yeah.” She turned her phone away from him just a bit. He must have noticed, but didn’t pursue it any further.

Invincible. She had heard that a few times in her life, but recently, it felt different. Almost sarcastic. It was as if no one trusted her to look after herself.

“Every single person I know keeps asking if I’m okay,” JB said suddenly. She felt Shiloh’s foot stutter on the gas momentarily before he kept driving, pretending nothing had happened.

“ _Are_ you okay? You can tell me if anything’s wrong. You know that, right?”

JB hesitated. She never used to hesitate.

“I don’t know.”

Shiloh raised one hand to touch her shoulder, but she shrugged him away.

“Not now, you’re driving. Keep your hands on the wheel.”

“Okay, that’s fine.” He dropped his hand without objection. He remained silent for a minute or so. “Do you want to talk?” Something about the sweet tone of his voice set her teeth on edge.

“About what?!” she snapped. He flinched from the abrupt shift.

“Did I do something to upset you?”

JB rubbed her face hard and huffed.

“No.”

“You know, if it’s hard for you to talk to me, we could always try making an appointment-” seeing the look on her face, Shiloh attempted to alter the way he was presenting what he was about to say. “I mean, I’m just saying it’s a possibility for us to-”

“You have _got_ to be kidding me,” she said. “Even if you think I’m stupid or oblivious or whatever the fuck, you can’t honestly think that I would be dumb enough to go to couples therapy with you. With _you._ ” It made her want to laugh.

“Uh-”

“You already have plenty of ammunition.” She folded her arms and turned away.

“Ammunition? Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Shiloh said, looking a bit affronted.

“Whatever. Okay. Fine. But I’m not going. You’d have to go to individual first, for a _while_ , for me to consider that.”

Shiloh didn’t respond to that.

“I love you, JB. I care about you. I want to make things work. You’re the best part of my life.”

He had turned on “the voice,” the genuine one that he used on suckers. The fact that he was using it to direct her away from what she had just said was the most infuriating thing that had happened today so far.

“I like how you just ignored my comment.”

“Which one?” he asked.

“You know which one.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Shiloh said helplessly.

“I want you to say that you’ll see a counselor!” JB told him directly and forcefully. He was watching the road with an unnatural amount of focus.

“You’re the one who dated me knowing what I’m like,” he said quietly.

“And? Is that supposed to excuse any and all of your shit behavior?”

“No!” he said. He bit his lip. “Tell me what you don’t like. I’ll fix it.”

JB put her head back and looked at the ceiling of the car. She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Do you really want me to get into this?” she asked.

“Yes, I do,” he said. “What can I do?”

All her breath left her in a low whistle.

“Okay. Let me start by asking: did you get the results for your panel, yet?”

He seemed a little taken aback.

“Yeah,” he said. “All negative.”

“Did you get scans from the clinic like I asked?”

“You’re right to want the results. That’s valid, and I understand that.” JB raised a hand.

“Just tell me.”

“I tried, but I don’t think they send scans.”

…

…

“I called them three weeks ago. They do, and they always have. Did you ask them?”

Caught in the lie, Shiloh stalled for a moment by pretending to focus on driving.

“Alright, I didn’t, but they gave me the results verbally. They were all negative. You’re the only partner I’ve had. What’s this about, anyway?”

JB balled her hand into a fist.

“Could you try not to say things that are so patently untrue when we talk about things like this?” she asked. “Just _try_. This about your health and mine. There needs to be limits.”

“I don’t know what you-”

JB slammed her fist into the door and he jumped. She took a steadying breath.

“I’m mad enough from you trying to gaslight me about Alicia _multiple times_ today already. You don’t want to dig yourself in any deeper. I’m not kidding around.”

“What do you mean, gaslight you? I wouldn't do something like that.”

“Yeah?! Well, you forgot to erase the sign-in alert email immediately! I got a notification for it!”

“W-” he swallowed. “What?”

“I saw it! Who else could have done it?!”

Shiloh pulled over into the shoulder.

“I’m just concerned when I say this, but how much did you have to drink?”

“I’m not drunk, and I’m not making this up!” JB hissed. “Whatever, you can keep deflecting. I don’t think it’s possible for you not to, anyway.”

Shiloh reached over and she pushed his arms away. He raised his hands in surrender.

“ _Don’t_ touch me,” she said. “I already said not to. Either start talking now, with minimal bullshit, or drive us home so I can pick up a weekend bag.”

“I’ll talk!” he said. “I’ll talk.”

“Good.” She gestured at him. “Go ahead.”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t call the-”

“No,” JB said. “Right now, we’re talking about how you went through my emails. Let’s start with that.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. He just breathed in and out deeply to prepare himself. He was breathing harder than normal. Way harder.

His eyes went round as saucers, and he looked at her frightened. His hand went to his chest and his face went pale. His knuckles were white.

“I,” he gasped, “I can’t,” gasp, “breathe.”

JB would have been worried if this were anyone else, but the timing was just too much.

“Stop it,” she said in a hard voice. “I know you can. You’ve done this before. You can only work yourself up into a panic attack once and have me believe it.”

“I,” gasp, “I,” he sounded scared and out of control, “I’m not!”

“Stop, or I swear to god, I’ll break up with you right now.”

Shiloh stopped. His breathing slowed down to normal over a minute or two. It might even have been a real panic attack, in that he really forced himself into having one.

“Why are you trying to isolate me from my friends who know you? Why are you fucking _faking panic attacks_ to manipulate me out of asking?” she asked. “Why not just get a new girlfriend who will swallow your lies if it matters so much? You don’t give a shit about me either way.”

“That’s not true,” he said quietly.

“Yeah, it is. You’d be able to convince me that you loved me if it weren’t,” the words tumbled out of her mouth. Her hand snapped up. She cursed herself.

“Aren’t you the one who decided not to believe anything I said?”

JB didn’t answer.

“It doesn’t matter what I say. You’ll always think of me as a vindictive jerk who’s only with you because I hated the people around us who actually liked you.”

JB shook her head.

“You won’t? So you’ll send me nudes that have your face in them instead of thinking that I’ll upload them to a revenge porn site? So you’ll trust me enough to believe that I wouldn’t lie to you and infect you with an STD?”

JB closed her eyes and said, “I don’t know what you want. You just do what you want anyway.”

“Maybe I want you to have a tiny bit of faith in me.”

“How?” she asked in desperation. “How am I supposed to do that when that’s why I date you to begin with?”

Shiloh's lips started to move without making a sound, struggling to make a rounded shape.

“What?” he finally asked.

“What’s different about you, Shiloh? Think about it. What makes you different from everyone else I could’ve dated?”

“I- I don’t know-”

“You know. Of course you know.”

He shook his head. He tried to turn away. JB caught the side of his face and turned it back.

“I’ll tell you what it is. It’s that I’ll never trust you. Not for the rest of my life. You won’t change anything because you know I don’t want to, either. How can I be hurt by someone who I don’t trust, right?” She laughed bitterly. “It’s perfect. I can’t be hurt by you, and you can’t be hurt. You don’t feel things the same way other people do.”

His gray eyes went blank.

“Do you really think I can’t be hurt? That I can’t feel?” he asked tonelessly. JB let go of his face. He asked something that wasn’t exactly what she had said. Did he really think she hadn’t noticed that?

“No, but I think you can see why that would make things easier for me. I went after you when I knew that you were someone that I could never believe loved me, or even liked me! You would never mean something real. This!” She pointed between themselves, “Would never mean something real, and I could never be hurt over something fake. How stupid would that be?”

Shiloh said nothing. He shed his crocodile tears.

“Even now, I know that at least part of the way you’re reacting to this is to manipulate me in some way. The other part is probably just mad I’m being unpredictable. It’s easy to be selfish with someone who’s more selfish than you.

“I don’t know when I started trying to hurt you in earnest. I was rude and blunt, sure, but I was never cruel. I didn’t use to be like this. I don’t like the way I am now.” She touched her cheek and felt wetness. She never cried.

“Did being with you make me like this?”

**Author's Note:**

> I fully admit to being awful. I wanna find out if Shiloh has a heart by breaking it. But he kind of deserves it, doesn't he? (I think so ahahaha).
> 
> I was in the car and changed the radio station yesterday to one that was playing Total Eclipse of the Heart. I had been writing this fic for almost a week at that point and was sort of spooked. Life imitates art, amirite?? Just kidding, I would never call this art.


End file.
